The present invention relates to a process for molding a make-up composition by casting in a mold, in fluid form, and solidifying the composition, so as to obtain a solid molded product in the form of a block or cake, it being subsequently possible for the composition to be picked off from the molded product with the aid of a finger, a brush or a puff; the invention also relates to the product obtained by this process.
The make-up composition to be molded may be in the form of a paste obtained by mixing a solid particulate phase either with an aqueous phase or with a binding agent, especially a fatty phase, in a solvent; it may also be in the form of a product based on a heat-fusible wax or of a gel which is cast in the hot state. Depending on the composition employed, the solidification therefore takes place either by evaporation of water or of solvent, or by cooling, or by chemical reaction.
It is known to cast a make-up composition in a mold of a certain volume including chiefly a molding surface which imparts its shape (flat, curved or provided with relief or indented figures) to the surface for taking off the composition and a bottom, in most cases flat, provided with one or more openings through which the composition to be molded is cast. Depending on the make-up composition which is processed, the phenomenon of shrinkage during the solidification may be considerable. This is the case especially with the compositions described in patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,538, EP-A-165,137 and DE-A-3,327,001. The molded block obtained is then packaged but, because of the shrinkage, its dimensions and its shape can vary, and it is difficult to keep it in place in this package and to wedge it against the rigid surface forming the bottom of the package such as a case; the main function of the rigid surface is to prevent the molded block from breaking up in the course of the various handling operations and to protect it, but the shrinkage destroys the wedging and prevents the packaging from fulfilling its function in a satisfactory manner. If the molded block is badly wedged it tends to break up in the course of storage; because of its nature it is actually very brittle because it must be capable of being disintegrated to allow it to be picked off.
To avoid this disadvantage it has already been proposed, in EP-A-191,198 and in EP-A-38,645, to perform the casting in a dish resting on a molding surface, the bottom of the dish being provided with crosspieces, reinforcement or other anchoring devices. On solidifying, the composition binds to the bottom of the dish and a product of molding is then packaged, including of the solidified composition and its associated dish. The dish is used as a support for the solidified composition and, since the dish has determined dimensions, the molded product is easy to keep in place and to wedge in a rigid package. However, it has been found that after drying or cooling, cracks are formed because of a shrinkage of the composition in relation to the dish and to the regions for bonding to the latter. The product sold is consequently embrittled and tends to fragment during the various subsequent handling operations, especially when the product is being used.
It is therefore desirable to define a packaging for this type of composition, which at the same time makes it possible to ensure the wedging and the maintaining of the solidified composition in a protective packaging eliminating the risk of breaking up and to permit the shrinking of the composition without embrittlement of the molded block; two functions must therefore be ensured simultaneously.